Chapter 13 #2
The poor server fumbles and nearly drops it. “Thank you, Miss Vander Zee. I’ll be right back with your drinks.”
“Thanks, buddy.” Flip gives him a chin tip.
I wait until he’s gone before I turn my attention to Flip, eyes wide with my sort of disapproval. “You can turn your alpha-pack leader down a notch.”
He gazes down at me with dark eyes, a slight grin tugging at the corner of his mouth. “Do you think I don’t know what that means?”
My eyes flare. I have not shared my love of omegaverse with him.
“Kitten, you are ungodly gorgeous, and I am not the only person who notices this. There are enough boys falling all over themselves to get to you, I won’t have our server being one of them.”
“He just carded me. It’s not like he’s flirting with me.”
“Not in front of me if he wants to keep all his limbs.”
“Oh my God, who are you?”
“The man who can’t stop thinking about you.” He kisses the inside of my wrist, eyebrows slanting. “I bet he’s looking you up on social media.”
“He is not.” I try to pull my hand away.
“I would if I were him.” He gently bites the side of my hand and winks as our poor mortified server drops off our drinks. I’m so flustered.
“Would you like more time with the menus or are you ready to order?” our server asks the candle in the middle of the table.
“How do you feel about an appetizer, kitten?” He’s still holding my hand.
“Yeah. Yes. Sure. That would be nice.”
“Do you like arancini?”
“I do.”
“Me, too.” He kisses my knuckle.
“An order of arancini to start. Anything else?” Our server’s eyes dart around.
“How about calamari?” Flip’s thumb sweeps back and forth along my pulse point.
“I also like calamari.”
“Perfect.” Flip’s gaze stays firmly fixed on me. “We’ll take an order of that as well.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Anything else you’d like, Tallulah?”
I’m pretty sure my panties are trying to grow legs so they can walk off my body and into his pocket. “No, thank you.”
“That will be all for now, thank you.”
“Of course, sir.” The server bows and rushes off.
I turn my attention back to Flip. “You know you don’t have to treat every guy like they’re a threat.”
His eyebrows rise. “What if they are?”
“Like Quinn?” I needle.
He has the decency to look momentarily apologetic, but his expression smooths out. “You’ve met Lovey Butterson.”
“They’re like childhood friends,” I argue.
“Tristan and my sister have known each other their whole lives, so have Dallas and Hemi,” he points out. “And you and Lovey share some physical attributes.”
“Like our hair color,” I scoff.
“You’re both lean and athletic. You’re beautiful, and fun, and easy to be around. Quinn was very friendly with you, and while most of the time I believe he would stay on the right side of the line with you, under the right circumstances, or the wrong ones, he might crack under the pressure.”
“Is that what you’re doing? Cracking under the pressure?” I ask softly.
He kisses the back of my hand. I feel that point of contact everywhere and all I want is for him to lean in and kiss my lips.
“You opened a door when you asked me for a favor.”
“I’m—”
“No apologies. You’re done with those,” he orders.
“You opened my eyes, and I couldn’t close them again.
Lord knows I fucking tried, kitten. But every time I saw you after that, I couldn’t stop seeing you.
” He gently strokes my cheek. “I hated when things were strained between us. I wanted things to go back to the way they were. I wanted text messages and book recommendations. And I sure as fuck didn’t want to push you into one of my teammates’ arms, or anyone else’s, for that matter.
I’d never forgive myself if that happened.
” His jaw works and he swallows thickly, eyes softening.
“And then tonight you were right in front of me and you felt a million miles away, and you were hurting and I couldn’t just…
wrap my arms around you and be the person to tell you it would be okay, and I hated it.
I realized there was only one way to fix it. So here we are.”
“Here we are,” I echo. I’m elated, stunned and just...
“Kitten?” He sweeps his thumb along the hollow under my eye.
“Please don’t let this be a dream,” I whisper.
He pulls me closer and wraps me in his strong embrace, surrounding me with his sandalwood and mint scent. “I’m not a knight in shining armor.”
“Knights are kind of overrated.”
He squeezes me and sits back. “Am I overwhelming you?”
“Not in a bad way.” I gather my thoughts.
“So much of my life is suddenly in upheaval. What’s happening with my family, the way my dad shuffled me to the bottom of his pile is…
painful, and then you show up, and I expected it to be more rejection, but it’s the opposite, and it’s amazing, and I’m scared, and I just don’t want to lose what we have, not when I’ve already lost so much. ”
“That makes perfect sense.” He tucks my hair behind my ear. “We’re just going to have a nice dinner, and we’re going to hang out and enjoy each other’s company, and I’m not going to fight this chemistry because it was making me a miserable, territorial ass.”
“I don’t mind the territorial part,” I admit.
“Good to know, it’s tough to get a handle on sometimes.” He winks and settles back in his chair as our server brings our appetizers to the table.
“Would you like to order your mains?” he asks.
I turn to Flip. “I haven’t even looked at the menu.”
“There’s no rush, we have lots of time. You can give us a few minutes,” Flip assures him.
“Of course.” He leaves us with our appetizers.
“Can I serve you?” Flip offers.
“If you want to.” I sit back, enthralled with this version of the man I’ve come to know.
He plates an arancini for me, spooning extra red sauce over it. His eyes stay fixed on me as I cut into the crispy outside, the cheesy inside pooling in the sauce. I cut a small bite and pop it in my mouth.
“Is it good?”
I cut another bite and hold it out for him. “Try it.”
His full lips close over the tines.
He hums his approval and takes the fork from me. “Will you let me feed you?”
“Is this like your version of foreplay?” My eyes flare and my cheeks burn hot.
His smile turns downright lascivious. “Head out of the gutter, kitten.” He cuts another small bite, feeding it to me. “I like the way you savor things. I think because of the way I grew up, food has always held a lot of power.”
“Because sometimes you didn’t have enough?” I ask softly.
He nods and pops another bite before cutting one for me. “Things were always tight. Tristan constantly brought food over. Rix learned to cook at a young age. There’s something very primal and satisfying about providing for someone I care about.”
My stomach flutters and my bruised heart soars.
We finally order mains, I choose the gnocchi and Flip orders the vodka pollo pasta. There are no leftovers, and we finish the meal with a chocolate torte that Flip eats most of. I don’t want dinner or the evening to end, but we close down the restaurant, so there’s no other option but to leave.
I stop in the bathroom and message Fee to let her know I’m on the way home.
Fee
At Cammie’s. Message when it’s safe. Brought all the things I need for a sleepover if necessary. *fingers crossed*
Flip is waiting for me at the front door. He links his arm with mine and walks me to his car, holding the door open as I take my spot in the passenger seat. This is literally the most amazing non-first-date I’ve ever been on, and I hate that it’s coming to an end.
By some miracle, the ten-minute spot at the front of my building is open, so he pulls into it and cuts the engine. “I’ll walk you up.”
“I’d love that.” Then I can invite him in.
The atrium is quiet, most people having returned to their apartments for the night. The elevator is empty, and my body hums with nerves as I watch the floors climb.
My mouth goes dry as the elevator doors slide open and all the anxiety I thought I left at the restaurant comes flooding back.
Flip’s fingers stay pressed against the small of my back on the way down the hall.
I fumble with my key fob but manage not to drop it as I swipe my key over the sensor and open the door, but only a few inches so Parsnip can’t escape.
What happens now?
“Thank you for taking me out for dinner.” I clasp my hands so I don’t wring them.
Flip smiles. “Thank you for saying yes.”
“I had a really nice time.” I bite my lip. Is it too much to invite him in?
“I had a great time, too.” His palm curves against my cheek, and his thumb sweeps along the edge of my jaw. My entire body sparks with need. Desire. Anticipation. “Can I kiss you good night, Talls?”
“Yes, please,” I practically moan.
His warm lips brush over mine.
I grip his shoulders and melt into him as he gently sucks my bottom lip. Then he angles his head, and his tongue is a velvet caress. He tastes like mint and chocolate. My knees go weak, and heat blossoms low in my belly.
It’s the perfect first kiss. Soft, sweet, gentle, commanding. His hand curves around my waist, and he pulls me tighter against him, the door at my back and him pressed to my front.
Phillip Madden is kissing me. I’m kissing Phillip Madden.
He walks me backwards into my apartment at the sound of voices in the hall. I nudge Parsnip out of the way so he can’t make an escape and ruin a perfect good night kiss.
Flip doesn’t stop kissing me as the door falls closed. His lips are soft and sure, his hands firm but gentle. I feel like I’m burning up from the inside. I can’t get enough of the taste of him, of the feel of his tongue sliding against mine, or his body pressing me into the wall.
He pulls back and cages me with his arms, gazing down at me with hot eyes. “A kiss is as far as this goes tonight, Tally.”
I blink up at him, momentarily stunned and suddenly uncertain. “Did I do something wrong?”
“No, kitten.” He kisses my cheek and sighs. “But I have to be honest with you about something.”
“Okay.” He looks so serious. I swallow down my nerves.
“When you asked me to take your virginity, I thought it was only because of my experience, and that hurt more than I expected it to.”
“I’m so sorry,” I croak, mortified all over again.
“I know. And I know it wasn’t intentional.
I have baggage, more than you realize probably.
I loved someone once, and she didn’t want me for me, and that…
broke me for a long time. I spent a lot of years seeking pleasure with no connection, and I can’t go there again.
Especially not with you. So I need you to let me go at my pace, okay? ”
“Okay,” I whisper.
“We’re going to take this real slow, kitten.” He kisses each knuckle and presses my palm to his cheek.
My knees go weak at the sweet affection.
He brushes his lips over mine. “I’m going to kiss you one last time, and then I’m going home.”
“Can this one be a little longer then?” I ask.
“One taste of you, Tally, and I’m already addicted.” He slants his mouth over mine.
It’s better than the first kiss. I’m obsessed with the feel of his lips, the softness of his tongue as he explores my mouth. The gentle way he touches me. He wraps his free arm around my waist and holds me against him as our tongues brush.
It’s the perfect good night kiss.
The kind that leaves me aching and needy.
Desperate for more of him.
Eventually he pulls back, and the dark look in his eyes nearly brings me to my knees.
He strokes my cheek one last time. “’Night, Tally.”
“’Night, Phillip.”